Chapter 16 #3
I walk past him and enter my angel’s room.
The sound of the machines beeping is the only reassurance I have that she’s still here with us.
Raegan sees me come in and places her laptop on the rolling cart by her chair near the window.
Ivy is sketching something in a notebook but stops when she sees me approaching.
“Hey, how was the auto shop?” she stands and stretches. “Everything is still the same as earlier. The doctor came in and mentioned changing some of the medication because it looks like she might have an infection in a few small areas.”
“You couldn’t stay away for more than a few hours?” Ivy checks her watch. “This is our time with her, we still have three more hours,” Ivy sasses.
My face must show how serious it is for me to be here and not at the auto shop.
Raegan’s smile drops. “What happened?”
I have my back to Sutton because I can’t focus on her while I carry this heavy burden weighing on me.
“Can I talk to you both outside?” I ask. “I don’t want to say this in front of Sutton.”
If it’s true what Melissa told me months ago about her being able to hear and feel the emotions of the people in the room, then I don’t want to put her in distress with the news of Rocky.
“What’s going on, Havoc?” Raegan’s face turns serious, and her shoulders lock back, like she’s ready for battle.
I nod my head over to the hall. She swipes her phone off the tray and follows in step to the hall. I take them down a little ways to the corner of the hall at the dead end.
“What’s wrong?” Ivy demands then crosses her arms over her chest. “Is it about Sutton? Did you find the bastards that did this?”
“A little bit ago, Rocky was gunned down outside Sutton’s house—” I start.
Raegan gasps. “What do you mean gunned down?”
“Oh my God!” Ivy covers her mouth in shock with her hand.
“We don’t know all the details yet but—”
“Did you bring him here?” Raegan asks and I nod. “Good,” she blows out a relieved breath. “Does Stone and Mom know? Take me to them,” she says in a hurry and turns to walk off.
“Raegan, wait,” I grab her arm to stop her.
She turns around impatient that I’m halting her. “Walk and talk, Havoc.”
“He didn’t make it. Rocky didn’t make it.” The words sound bitter on my tongue.
She yanks her arm from my grip. “What?” she gasps, her eyes frantically rove over my face.
“They couldn’t save him.”
“No, you’re wrong. I just saw him this morning on my way up here. He was talking with some of the crew at the house.” She’s shaking her head back and forth.
I wrap my arms around her shoulders and pull her into my chest. I can hear the muffled sound of Ivy trying to hold in a sob behind me, but my focus is on Stone’s Ol’ Lady.
“I’m sorry.”
She pushes her hands against my chest and shoves off. “Where is he? Does Stone know?”
“They are all downstairs in a viewing room—”
“I need to go,” she says and takes off down the hall.
I turn towards Ivy.
“I’ll stay and keep watch over Sutton. Go, I’ve got her,” Ivy tells me. I haven’t gotten to know her well, but I know that Sutton cares a lot about Ivy since meeting her, and that’s enough for me to trust her.
“Ink will be outside the door if you need anything,” I tell her and walk her back to Sutton’s room.
Once I know she’s in and secure, I quicken my pace to keep up with Raegan as we approach the staff elevator. A nurse just happens to be waiting for it.
The doors open and Raegan steps around her. “The public elevator is down to the left,” the lady tries to say but stops when I step on. The staff member backs out of the elevator, and we watch as it slides shut. I press for the first floor and watch as Raegan starts to fidget.
Once the doors open, she’s bolts out past me and looks around trying to figure out where to go.
More brothers have arrived and are next to Chains and Bull still stationed where I left them.
Raegan hurries over in that direction. They all look just as devastated as I do.
Raegan weaves around the brothers as Bull holds the door open for her to enter.
By the time I get there, the door is closing as the sound of weeping continues throughout the room.
I’m not sure how long we stand there waiting, but Ian comes back around. He makes his way into the room, and we can hear Melissa questioning Crusher.
“Who would want to hurt our sweet boy, Phillip? What’d he ever do to anyone?” she pleads.
“We’ll find out, honey,” Crusher tells her. You can hear the devastation in his voice.
“I know this is a hard time, but I’ve got the name and number of the funeral home I recommend if you need it,” Ian quietly tells them. I’m sure as a doctor he’s had to tell families this dozens of times, but I can hear how deeply Rocky’s loss has affected him too.
Stone steps up from the corner, holding a distraught Raegan, and takes the card Ian offers. “’Preciate it.”
They talk for a few more minutes as Melissa asks Ian every step he took once Rocky was brought in. I have to give the guy credit because seeing the Mama Bear side of Melissa is quite intimidating. Ian holds his own and answers every question she throws at him.
A nurse holding a bag comes down the hall and stops in front.
“Doctor Hastings instructed the nurses to bring this down to the family,” she says as I take it from her. “It came from the ambulance. We are supposed to hand it over to the police, but he said that this is an exception.” She shrugs then leaves the same way she came.
When I peek in, I see his bloodstained cut inside. Christ, this is hitting hard. My nose burns as it prickles.
“Thanks, Darlin’,” I call out even though she’s almost to the end of the hall.
I walk farther in the room as Bull and Chains block the entry again.
The room goes silent as I step up in front of Crusher who is seated in the corner chair.
He must know what I have because he stands the best he can.
Both Stone and Blaze leave their wives and stand at his back watching as I open the bag and pull out his son’s MC cut.
Crusher sucks in a breath looking at the leather, and for the first time since I’ve know this strong man, he cries.
Stone walks over to the wall, facing it.
His hands are on top of his head interlocked.
His chest heaves as he tries to control his breathing.
Blaze stares at his brother’s patch and looks as if he’s looking through it in a daze.
His face is shut off. The sound of pounding and breaking sheetrock turns our attention to Stone where he’s using the wall as a punching bag.
“Thank you, son,” Crusher finally says when he’s able to get himself under control. I hand over the cut and nod my head in acknowledgement.
Ian lets us know that we can have a few more minutes in the room so we leave the family in there.
After several minutes, the door opens and out walks Prez with Raegan tucked under his arm.
Crusher is next with Melissa plastered to his chest, her face hidden in his neck.
Blaze has Allison in the same position as Stone and Raegan.
“I want first watch,” Reaper comes down the line stepping in front of Stone.
“I’ll take second,” Riot steps up next.
Down the row of brothers, each one claims a spot to stay with our fallen brother until the funeral. The respect they show proves that we are more than just a bunch of men who sit around drinking alcohol and working on bikes.
We’re a family.
A family that celebrates together with the big wins and victories, but we are also a family that mourns together.